Spurlock v. Crist

614 P.2d 498, 188 Mont. 449, 1980 Mont. LEXIS 853
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 9, 1980
Docket14701
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 614 P.2d 498 (Spurlock v. Crist) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Spurlock v. Crist, 614 P.2d 498, 188 Mont. 449, 1980 Mont. LEXIS 853 (Mo. 1980).

Opinion

*450 MR. JUSTICE DALY

delivered the opinion of the court.

Petitioner filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in this Court on February 14, 1979. This Court ordered the writ heard by the District court of the Fourth Judical District, County of Missoula, and the Honorable Robert M. Holter assumed jurisdiction for an evidentiary hearing. A hearing was held on June 6, 1979, and July 17, 1979. Findings of fact and conclusions of law denying the writ were filed October 30, 1979. These findings and conclusions have been appealed to this Court, and the matter has been accepted for decision on briefs.

Petitioner and a companion, one Leonard Doney, were arrested on January 18, 1972, eight years ago, and charged with four counts of robbery, all of which were allegedly committed during the early morning hours of January 18, 1972. After a high-speed chase, petitioner was arrested and, while in custody and sitting in the rear seat of a police car, was identified by one of the victims.

After trial and conviction, the conviction was appealed to this Court and submitted November 30, 1972, after oral argument. On February 20, 1973, a unanimous Court affirmed the judgment and conviction. State v. Spurlock (1973), 161 Mont. 388, 506 P.2d 842. Following are some excerpts of pretrial facts from the prior opinion of this Court:

“The record indicates that on January 28, 1972, an Information was filed in the district court charging each defendant with four counts of robbery upon four Missoula filling stations committed on January 18, 1972. D. R. Matthews, Esq., Missoula Public Defender, was appointed by the court as counsel and he represented both defendants in all stages of pretrial proceedings. Both defendants entered pleas of not guilty and trial was set for May 4, 1972. Bail was fixed in the amount of $15,000 (later reduced to $12,500) for defendant Spurlock and in the amount of $12,500 for defendant Doney. Neither defendant was able to post bail. “Defendant Doney requested a psychiatric examination and was admitted to the state hospital at Warm Springs on February 2, 1972, remaining there about thirty days. An examination was per *451 formed and a report submitted to the court. “On March 13, 1972, defendant Spurlock filed an affidavit of disqualification of trial judge Hon. Emmet Glore, which was granted. The cause was transferred to the court of Hon. E. Gardner Brownlee. “On April 5, 1972, defendant Spurlock submitted motions for a psychiatric examination by a local psychiatrist and for separate counsel. Both motions were denied. Subsequent testimony by Spurlock’s wife indicated that he had been to Warm Springs for treatment and/or examination on some previous occasion and that he did not wish to return there. “On April 6, 1972, defendant Doney petitioned the court pro se for a writ of habeas corpus based on violation of his rights at a preliminary examination for probable cause, Judge Jack L. Green, sitting for Judge E. Gardner Brownlee, heard the petition on April 6, 1972, with petitioner present in court and represented by public defender D. R. Matthews, his attorney. After argument the writ was denied.
“On May 3, 1972, one day preceding the trial date, the defendants through their appointed counsel, D. R. Matthews, entered four motions requesting:
“1. Withdrawal of court appointed counsel.
“2. Separate trials.
“3. Separate counsel.
“4. A Continuance.
“The requested continuance was for the claimed purpose of allowing their counsel time to prepare their defense, and to obtain a psychiatric evaluation for defendant Spurlock. [Emphasis supplied.]
“The court denied all four motions. However, prior to trial on May 4, 1972, the motion for withdrawal of counsel was granted and Robert J. Campbell, Esq. was entered as counsel. In granting this motion, the court specifically questioned both defendants after making them aware that their other motions (including the motion for a continuance) would not be granted, as to whether they would still prefer to have Robert J. Campbell substituted as counsel replacing D. R. Matthews, both defendants stated they so pre *452 ferred. The court then suggested that Matthews remain to participate in the defense and requested both defendants’ permission before Mr. Matthews was permitted to leave. Both defendants gave that permission.
“At the time the court was considering the request for substitution of counsel, Mr. Matthews stated: ‘They have told me absolutely nothing. They will not confide in me, there has been no communication at all.’
“In their appeal brief, defendants stated ‘Prior to trial the defendants remained in the Missoula County jail and sought private counsel as best they could.’ The record does not support this statement. It does not disclose that defendants or anyone acting in their behalf, contacted or were refused by any attorney prior to their contacting Mr. Campbell, who did take their case. It does not disclose that defendants were refused permission to contact any attorney while they were in jail. It does disclose that Mr. Campbell was contacted for the first time by Mrs. Spurlock at 4:15 p.m. on May 3, 1972, over three months after the arraignment of defendants and on the afternoon before the trial date.” State v. Spurlock, supra, 161 Mont. at 389-391, 506 P.2d at 842-843.

The following issues have been presented to this Court for review:

1. Whether the requirement of joint representation of petitioner and a codefendant over timely objection necessitates a reversal of petitioner’s conviction.

2. Whether petitioner was denied effective assistance of counsel prior to trial and, if so, whether such denial affected petitioner’s due process rights so as to necessitate a reversal of his conviction.

3. Whether petitioner was subjected to an impermissible showup subsequent to his arrest.

4. Whether petitioner was given inadequate notice of trial, was improperly required to go to trial jointly with his codefendant, and was improperly denied a continuance in his trial so as to necessitate a reversal of his conviction.

*453 5. Whether the failure to provide petitioner with a transcript of proceedings and failure of the court reporter to file his notes with the clerk of court violate petitioner’s right of his conviction.

6. Whether the failure to provide petitioner with an opportunity to examine the presentence report and cross-examine any witnesses with respect thereto necessitates the vacation of petitioner’s sentence and removal for resentencing.

Issues 1, 2 and 4 were previously litigated in this Court on the argued appeal, State v. Spurlock, supra, and will not be reviewed a second time on appeal.

Issue 3 concerns the identification in the police vehicle on the night of the crime.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
614 P.2d 498, 188 Mont. 449, 1980 Mont. LEXIS 853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/spurlock-v-crist-mont-1980.